Part: 7 of 10

A/N: The world goes round, round, round and frankly it's making me feel a little bit sick. It (time) goes by so freaking fast and I'm just feeling it right now. I mean in a few years people are going to start shooting out kids and buying houses. It's so weird, last year I was in high school and now I'm out in the big bad scary world. They should have prepared us better. Anyways - Happy Valentine's Day one week in advance!


Seven

"You sure he won't suffocate back there?"Rachel asked only sounding mildly concerned about the unconscious vampire in the trunk of the car.

"Fairly," I smiled. "I'll take you back to the church, don't want a bunch of vampires in the same room as you when you can't defend yourself," I told her half lying. What I was really worried about was her seeing the monster I could be when needed. Memory-less Rachel had seen enough of my dark side and I was surprised she was still around. But watching me with Rynn trying to get the vampire to talk (something it appeared Mikey-boy was more than willing to do, if judging by the way he had babbled at the sushi place) might be the thing that made her run screaming. Besides, I needed to slake my blood-lust before it became unbearable to be in the same room with Rachel.

"I'm you… know…. sorry," Rachel said after a few minutes of comfortable silence. "About the other night. I get why you didn't want to do anything the other night, I was just stupid. I'm just sorry."

I didn't say anything as we turned on to our street. Only frowned and grasped the steering wheel harder. I didn't like her apologizing; it made me feel like a fraud for making her say sorry for something that was my fault. It was my instincts that had messed our relationship up the first time, it was me that had the stupid feelings and desires. She couldn't help that they had rubbed off on her when she had no other memories. My Rachel might like me – even want me, even if she couldn't admit it – but she had never come on to me like this Rachel had. So it was more than likely I had been the one to cause it. Which made me feel both worse and better. Worse since it was all my fault, but better because I hadn't taken advantage of her. I had stayed strong.

"I'm sorry about letting you get hurt too. I shouldn't have left to get the car; I should have stayed and shot at them or something. I've been a lot of trouble haven't I?"She took a fast breath. "I guess I should have stayed with my mom. But the spell should be over by now. It's been almost a week," she continued in a rush. I agreed, she really should be getting back to normal soon. The fear that she'd never go back to My Rachel made my gut feel tight. There was another problem as well. In a little over 12 hours Al would be showing up to take her to the Ever After. I wasn't sure what I'd do if she wasn't herself by then. It wasn't like I could really tell her she had to go and hang out with a demon for 24 hours. Without magic even a short stay like that would be enough for Al to make her go mad twice over if he wanted to.

"It's okay," I said noncommittally. "None of this is your fault."

"But it is, I shouldn't have pushed you that night after we went to Stone. I mean it was really, really stupid of me. I should have thought. You love me-me. The real Rachel. Not the body or the blood. You couldn't ever just sleep with me once and forget about it. You really want it all and not just for a few days. For good," she looked at me with shiny eyes and I shifted uneasily as I pulled up by the church and put the car in park.

"I suppose that's one way of putting it," I still didn't look at her as I waited for her to get out. Only she didn't get out of the car.

"But you do want me and if the real me offered you everything like that you would take it!" Rachel leaned back in her seat looking at me intensely with those too green eyes that I always thought could see through me.

"Yes," I said in a whisper. It hadn't really been a question but I answered anyway.

"Good, because that's what I'm going to write in my letter, " Rachel said taking her seat belt off.

"Letter?" I turned to her and frowned.

"I told you remember? I'm writing a letter to myself," Rachel said with a dazzling smile as she turned. When she said it I remembered. I felt a little worried for just what she would put in there. Maybe the worry showed on my face because Rachel added, "don't worry; I'll only write good things about you."

"Like how I seem to like to be miserable and can't keep you safe?" I asked feeling bitter.

"No, like how you were willing to sacrifice yourself to save me. Heck Ivy you almost died. If that undead vampire had decided to kill you before I got the splat gun you'd be dead. I'm also going to tell myself to stop being a prude and admit to liking both boys and girls," she said the last part with a little color on her cheeks.

"You think you'll believe yourself?" I mocked, managing a smile. I could imagine Rachel reading the letter from herself and totally flipping out. It would take the world ending or something along those lines for her to admit to herself, let alone me, she might not be as straight as she'd always thought.

"Maybe," she said sounding a little unsure. "But you are like this beautiful creature you can't help but to find attractive. I mean guys and girls alike, you are like this magnet. I'd known you for like a day when I asked you to…you know," Rachel smiled. "I think you might be part goddess."

"Perhaps," I said between tight lips. What she was saying was somewhat true, people found me attractive enough to do the stupidest of things for. But that had never been a good thing for me. Not the first time when I was barely fourteen and Piscary had called me to his bed or as I tried to change my life later. It hadn't seemed to have changed what Rachel wanted. It didn't matter to her how beautiful I was because I was a woman.

"I really do think my letter will be convincing, I mean I won't ever get to experience being with you because once I turn back to Rachel, I won't exist. At least not this way as the person I am now. But she will read the letter and understand, I'll make sure of it. She wants this as much as me. Maybe more," Rachel said sounding almost pleading. I didn't say anything but her words made me feel lighter somehow. There was some sort of child like enthusiasm to this Rachel; she thought a letter would fix it all. Sighing she turned to the door.

"Wait," my hand shot out to grab her wrist but I stopped myself before I actually touched her. She twisted back to me.

"What?" she was still smiling, looking lovely. The car smelled so good, her and me together. Focus.

"Tomorrow morning at eight you need to go out and stand in the graveyard. Find the ley-line, there is going to be a demon-"

"Al, I know. My mother told me," Rachel said while rolling her eyes.

"I didn't know your mother knew about Al," I said with a frown. I supposed Alice couldn't be completely clueless to where her daughter went all Saturday. Every week.

"Good. Then you know you'll just have to talk to him and explain that since you don't remember magic he can't take you. Alright?"

"I'll try, but I don't know if convincing demons is the easiest thing to do," she actually didn't look worried at all, something that made me feel extremely anxious.

"I might not be home until morning or even tomorrow night but if you can't convince him to leave you alone, you run to holy ground. The sun is up by eight fifteen so you're safe as long as you stay out of the ley-line. If I'm not home by dark you stay in the sanctuary or your bed room. Those rooms are consecrated and the demon can't get you there," I told her quickly. I reached out for her hand."Promise me."

"I promise," she said and squeezed my fingers. I had to pull my hand away quickly and take shallow breath's. Our scents were mixing and it smelled so good. She was too close and I just wanted to take her. Thankfully right then Rachel opened her car door.

"Hey Ivy?" Rachel said turning back slightly, leaning towards me. "Happy Valentine's Day." She smiled and kissed me on my cheek. Pulling back she had a look I couldn't call anything other than seductive.

I rolled my stiff shoulders, I had helped Rynn and his people get the truth from sushi Mike. Right now they were out, going out to the location Mike had said the girls were being held. But Rynn hadn't wanted me involved with the rescue. And while I was itching to get personal revenge on the people that had hurt me, hurt those girls and hurt Rachel, I knew better than to disobey the master of the city. Besides Mike had said something about I.S. involvement and protection for the operation, and I knew I.S. business was also something to stay out of. Still I wished I could have been the one to rescue Lucy and bring her back to her family.

Despite that, I felt like whistling as I parked the car. I had taken the opportunity to meet with a friend since I wasn't sure exactly where me and Rachel stood but was feeling like the night could get complicated and I wasn't about to go into it hungry. Still I was excited about tonight. The look Rachel had given me before leaving the car made me feel confident. Something, anything, could happen tonight. Only as soon as I opened the door my good mood evaporated. The church smelled of blood; Rachel's blood.

"Rachel? Jenks?" I called out as I entered the sanctuary.

"Don't you answer your phone woman?" Jenks said from the coffee table, I stared in surprise at the broken wing Matalina was trying to mend with some red first-aid tape. There were several other pixies looking battered with tattered wings around the room.

"Where is Rachel?" I asked the pixie feeling the anger growing inside of me.

"They took her," Jenks cried. "Dammed vamp lunkers came and took her. I- we all tried to fight them Ivy, but, but, there was this one vampire he was too fast. I'm sorry, it's all my fault." The pixie hung his head. I frowned; only an old undead, a master, or perhaps a master's scion was fast enough to catch a pixie. I had a fair idea of who had done this. Silently I turned towards the scent of Rachel's blood.

There wasn't a lot of it, just enough for what they needed. The words BACK OFF were written on the floor in blood. It only took a second before I found the other scent I was looking for. The living vampire Kim A.K.A Slime hair– had been in my church. And he had just signed up for a double death seminary - taught by the one and only Ivy Tamwood.


Pink balloons for all reviewers! You know you want to!